“Blackmail” is a short story often attributed to various authors in educational contexts, though it may also refer to excerpts used in English language textbooks. Below is a representative passage commonly used for reading comprehension:
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It was a cold evening in London. The rain fell steadily, tapping against the windows of the small café where Mr. Harris sat alone. He stirred his coffee absently, eyes fixed on the door. Any moment now, she would walk in—and with her, the end of his quiet life.
He had received the letter that morning. No signature, just three words scrawled in red ink: “I know everything.” Enclosed was a photograph—blurry, but unmistakable. Him, outside the bank, handing an envelope to a man whose face was turned away. It could have been innocent. But it wasn’t.
Now he waited. Not for justice, not for mercy—but for the price of silence.
The bell above the door jingled. She entered, wearing a dark coat and a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“You came,” she said.
“I had no choice,” he replied.
She slid into the seat across from him. “There’s always a choice, Mr. Harris. You just don’t like the alternatives.”
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